Braun is probably the best foil razor maker. I started out using foil razors but It’s gotten to the point that they won’t even work effectively on one days growth anymore so I switched to a rotary and would never go back. No point in “shaving” twice which IMO is what having to run the trimmer over my face first amounts to. For two or more days which usually means the weekends I just run my hair trimmer over my face w/o any guides to knock it down to the level the razor can handle and since I cut my hair once a week for work anyway it just all sort of falls together.

As a side note running the hair trimmer with a #2 guide over my head for the last 20 years has saved me so much money in haircuts and time wasted driving to a barber and waiting. I might just let my hair grow long again when I get out but from what I remember washing and taking care of it was even more of a pain in the ass than just shaving it once and a while. Plus there’s that sucky, IMO, intermediate stage where it’s getting long but not long enough to tie back in a ponytail.

I wish my version of shaving consisted of decapitation followed by the growing of a brand new head every night, but unfortunately I have to be boring and shave with an electric as part of my morning routine. I'll keep dreaming of my own home guillotine.

I went from a Phillips razor to a Braun and I would never go back, The Braun works much better for my beard growth, the hairs just never caught the heads on the Phillips for some reason.

I can remember reading in a magazine of a test they did between all the different bladed razors and the twin blades came out on top. They said it is due to the higher PSI the 2 blades exert over the 3 or 4 bladed versions they tried, the skin is stretched out more with the twin blades allowing for a closer shave.

Another very satisfied Braun foil shaver user here. Tried many other electrics (including cheaper Brauns) over time until getting my current model a few years ago. It is similar to what they are now calling the Series 3.

I'm in with Ken and Wheelz. I use a Mach 3. I have not tried the 4 or 5 blade sets. Sometimes if I am running late, I use my Norelco Speed-XL.

The best shaving-related thing I ever did was step into an Art of Shaving store in the Aventura Mall when I was in the Miami area for a continuing education conference. My shaving experience was transformed. A little bit of education can go a long way towards a better shave. And, as we've noted, this is something that a lot of us have to do every day for the rest of our lives, so the payoff can be huge. For me, the main lessons were:

* always use fresh/sharp blades - as Peter said, you don't want to have the blades pull on your skin; you want them to glide over easily.

* learn the direction of growth of your whiskers.

* shave with the grain. Relather with cream and then shave against the grain for an extra-smooth shave.

* if your face is not wet enough at the start, use a pre-shave oil to achieve proper moisture. Or just use it anyway for best results.

* glycerin chave cream is the best. That $22 tub lasts me over a year and provides the smoothest shave I have ever had.

Using my Mach3, a badger hair brush, and glycerin shaving cream, I get a shave that no electric can touch. I have fast growing whiskers, and there's days where I still look and feel fresh-shaven at 5 pm. Bye bye 5 o'clock shadow!

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"The Universe is the game of the self, which plays hide and seek forever and ever" - Alan Watts

A few months ago, I went old school and bought a German double edge safety razor and badger brush along with English shaving cream and English after shave balm. I loved the process and the results. I will say that this traditional wet shaving method takes a LOT longer, at least for me (soaking the brush in hot water, building up the bowl of lather, multiple passes/relathering, etc.). I can't really do it in less than 20-25 minutes, so after a few weeks, I returned to my Mach 5. Long term, I expect I'll do it the old school way. Such an enjoyable experience. Just need more time in the day!

My brother-in-law used to treat himself, about once a month, to a straight razor shave at the local barbershop. I never tried it. he said he not only enjoyed the old-timey aspect to it, but also the quality of the shave.